Ice vending machine



Dec. 25, 1934. H. N. ROYDEN ICE VENDING MACHINE Filed June 27, 1932 Inventor Attarneys Patented Dec. 25, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10a VENDING momma Herbert'N. Borden, was to. Angeles, ouu. Application June 21', 1932, Serial No. 019,449

1Claim.

My invention relates to vending machines, and has particular reference to a machine for automatically dispensing a parcel, such as a block of ice, upon the deposit of a suitable coin in payment therefor.

Various types of vending machines for parcels or packages have been devised, most of which require the employment of devices for feeding parcels toward a discharge opening and means for actuating the feeding devices to'permit the discharge of a package or parcel onlywhen a proper coin has been deposited in a coin controlled mechanism.

Particularly in the vending of ice it has been the practice to provide at some suitable, centrally located station a rack on which a number of blocks of ice may be stored with devices for feeding the blocks of ice toward the discharge opening and to permit their discharge therefrom by the deposit of a suitable coin in payment for one of the blocks of ice. Such feeding devices have been complicated in construction and operation, chiefly due to the fact that mechanism was provided for positivelymoving the blocks toward the discharge opening and/or feeding blocks from various portions of the rack toward the discharge opening.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a dispensing device for parcels in which a number of parcels, such as blocks of ice, may be stored upon a rack to be fed by gravity toward'a discharge opening and in which no mechanical feeding device is required.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device for dispensing parcels of uniform size in which the parcels may be stacked upon a rack one behind the other and fed by gravity toward a discharge and in which a holding device preventing the parcels from passing out of the discharge is provided and which, when released, permits the foremost parcel to pass out of the discharge. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a parcel vending machine in which the parcel is stored upon an inclined support, permitting the same to feed out of the machine by gravity.

Another object of the invention is to provide avcoin actuated trip device for permitting the first of a series of parcels to be passed out of the machine while the remaining parcels are held within the machine for subsequent vending by subsequently deposited coins.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gravity fed parcel vending machine in which a single wheel is employed for holding a line of parcels within the machine, and which may be r rotated through a predetermined are upon the deposit of a coin to permit the first parcel to pass out of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide 5 a controlling system for a coin actuated parcel vending machine in which a single magnet is employed for operating the trip, and in which current. is maintained upon the magnet until a parcel has passed from the machine in response to the deposited coin.

Other objects and advantageswill be apparcn from a study of the following specifications, read in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein my parcel vending machine is illus- 15 trated as adapted to the vending of ice, and wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ice vending machine constructed in accordance with my invention;

' Figure 2 is a sectional view, taken along line 11-11 of Figure 1: and Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view, illustrating the electrical connections necessary for operating the device shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawing, I have illustrated in Figure 1 an ice vending machine comprising a pair of side sections 1 and 2, one side section 1 being formed of a pair of legs 3 and 4 interconnected by a plurality of cross braces 5, while the legs 6 and 'Iof the other side section are similarly interconnected by means of cross braces 8.

' The two side sections are secured together with a predetermined space therebetween. as by means of a plurality of cross struts 9, with suitable braces 10 provided to lend rigidity to the assembled structure. 1

The side frames 1 and 2, when assembled, constitute a support for a'trackway upon which ice may rest, by which ice may be fed by gravity toward a discharge point 11.

The trackway' is illustrated herein as comprising a plurality of sections 12, 13 and 14 arranged at diil'erent levels upon the frame, the upper section 12 comprising a pair of angle rails 15 and 16 mounted, respectively, upon the side frames 1 and 2 with the flanges 17 thereon extending toward each other, so that the assembled rails 15 and 16 form a track for ice, which is angled forwardly and downwardly so as to feed the ice 50 by gravity from the upper rear end of the machine toward the front of the machine. I

The track section 13 is similarly constructed of a pair of angle rails 18 and 19 which are also respectively mounted upon the side frames 1 and 2, and, in this instance, are angled downwardly and rearwardly of the machine so as to receive blocks of ice 20 from the upper track section and pass them downwardly and rearwardly of the machine.

In order to accomplish the transfer of blocks of ice between the upper section 12 and the midsection 13 of the track, I prefer to extend the rails 18, 19 beyond the front of the machine and to curve the same upwardly in such manner as to form a curved track section 21 which will receive the blocks of ice from the upper section 12 and guide them into the midsection 13. If desired, a sheet of suitable material, such as sheet iron 22, may be mounted between the rails to assist in the receiving and guiding of blocks of ice during the transfer.

The lower section 14 of the track is similarly constructed of a pair of angle rails 23 and 24 which are so secured to the side frames 1 and 2, respectively, as to form a forwardly and downwardly extending path for receiving blocks of ice from the midsection 13 and passing the same outwardly of the machine at the discharge 11. Again, to facilitate the transfer, the rear ends of the rails 23 and 24 are curved upwardly, as at 25, to form a curved path or channel.

It will thus be observed that the machine may be constructed of any desired height provided a plurality of track sections are employed upon which the blocks of ice 20 may be stacked and may pass by gravity from any part of the machine toward the discharge 11.

In order to prevent the blocks of ice from discharging from the machine except upon the deposit of a coin, I have provided a stop member comprising a wheel or spider 26 rotatably mounted upon suitable bearing members 27 and 28, respectively, secured to the rails 23 and 24 so that the stop member 26 is mounted in the space between the rails 23 and 24. The spider or wheel 26 is illustrated as having provided thereon a plurality of upstanding dogs 29a, 29b, 29c, 29d, etc. which extend into the path of the ice upon the trackway while the periphery of the wheel or spider 26 is so constructed as to be clear of the path of the ice.

From an inspection of Figure 1, it will be observed .that the dogs 29a, 29b, etc., are mounted at intervals to the periphery of the wheel or spider 26, the peripheral distance between the adjacent dogs being that substantially equal to the length of a block of ice which is to be dispensed upon the deposit of a predetermined valued coin. Thus with the wheel in the position shown, one of the dogs 29 is in a position to obstruct the block of ice nearest the discharge l1 and will hold the same in this position until the wheel or spider 26 is permitted to rotate.

In order to hold the wheel 26 against rd'tation, I have provided a trip mechanism comprising a rod or bar 30 which is pivoted upon a suitable rod 31 mounted in bearing members 32 secured, respectively, below the rails 23 and 24. The forward end 33 of the bar 30 is provided with'a roller 34 which is adapted to engage the dogs 29. If desired, each of the dogs 29 may be provided with a projecting boss 29c formed thereon and extend ing considerably beyond the side edge of the dog for the purpose of permitting the body of the dogs to clear the bar 30 when the wheel or spider 26 is rotated. Thus while the blocks of ice, descending by gravity along the trackway 1213- 14 will press against the dog 29 which is in the uppermost position on the wheel 26, the wheel is effectively prevented from moving to allow the blocks to pass to the discharge until the bar 30 is operated to release the dogs.

The bar 30 is illustrated as being operated about its pivot 31 under the influence of a solenoid or magnet 35 which may be secured in any desired manner below the track section 14 in such manner that when the axle of the magnet is magnetized it will draw the rear end of the bar 30 upwardly and depress the forward end 33 of the bar to permit it to release the particular dog with which it is engaged.

By referring, particularly, to Figure 3, it will be observed that I have illustrated one form of control circuit for the magnet 35 which may be employed to actuate the magnet upon the deposit of a suitable coin in which the coil of the magnet 35 is illustrated as being connected through a conductor 36 to one side of a suitable source of electrical supply 37. The other terminal of the magnet 35 is illustrated as being connected through contact member a on a relay 38 to the opposite side of the source of supply 37 so that whenever the contact members a of the relay. 38 are closed, electrical energy is supplied to the magnet 35 to operate thelever 30.

The coil of the relay 38 is illustrated as being controlled by a circuit which extends from one side of the source of supply 37 through conductors 39 and 40 to a contact piece 41 associated with a second contact piece 42 forming the coin actuated switch which will be bridged by a coin 43 of suitabledenomination. From the contact piece 42 the circuit extends by way of a conductor 44 through the coil of the relay 38 and thence by way of conductor 45 through a trip switch 46 and a conductor 47 to the conductor 36 which leads to the opposite terminal of the source of supply 37. Thus upon the deposit of a coin 43 the coil of the relay 38 will be energized to actuate the contact members a and supply current to the magnet 35.

In order to insure that a sufficient time will be provided for the wheel or spider 26 to start its rotation, permitting the block of ice to pass to the discharge, before the lever 30 returns to its dog-engaging position, I prefer to provide a selfholding circuit for the relay 38, which circuit extends from the conductor 39 through an auxiliary conductor 48 to a pair of contact members b on the relay 38 from which the circuit extends by way of conductor 49 to a junction point 50 on conductor 44, whence the circuit may extend through the coil of the relay 38, conductor 45, trip switch 46, etc., to the opposite terminal of the source of supply. Whenever the relay 38 is energized to operate its contact members a, its contact members b will close a self-holding circuit for the relay until the trip switch 46 is actuated to break the circuit to the relay 38.

By referring particularly to Figure 1, it will be observed that the trip switch 46 comprises a switch mounted upon a lever 51 which is in turn pivoted as at 52 so that the outermost end 53 of the lever extends upwardly into the path of blocks of ice passing to the discharge 11. Thus current will be maintained upon the magnet 35 to hold the lever 30 depressed until the passage of a block of ice to the discharge which will trip the switch 46 to open the holding circuit to the relay 38.

The switch 46 is illustrated herein as comprising a mercury contact switch, which is well known in the art, though it is to be understood that any other type of switch which will be actuated to open as contact members upon the dethrough the housing surrounding the machine to pression of the lever 51, may be employed as a substitute therefor.

It will be observed, therefore, that upon the deposit of a suitable denomination coin necessary to operate the contact members 41 and 42, the wheel or spider will be released to permit one block of ice to pass from the machine to the discharge wheel. Immediately this one block has passed, the trip lever will be again placed in position to engage the next succeeding dog 29b to prevent further rotation of the spider 26.

By properly selecting the position and length of the dogs 29a, 29b, etc., about the periphery of the wheel 26, the movement of the dog 29a by the first piece of ice will be just suificient to move the next succeeding dog 29b'into the path of the remaining ice blocks in time to catch and hold the next succeeding block of ice from passing to'the discharge and thus requiring the deposit of an additional coin before the second block will be released.

It is to be understood that the machine may be suitably housed within any desired housing structure so that the blocks of ice will not be accessible except as they pass from the discharge 11, the coin actuated switch or contact members 41, 42, being mounted upon the housing in any suitable position to permit ready access thereto for the deposit of coins by purchasers of ice.

In order to insure against possible sticking of the foremost block of ice to the rails when it is desired to move this block to the discharge, I may provide a bar 54rigidly mounted upon the lever 30 at a point spaced inwardly of the pivot 31 of lever 30 with the bar 54 extending upwardly into a position immediately below the lower rear edge of the foremost block of ice, so that when the magnet 35 is energized to lift the rear end of the lever 30, the bar 54 will be moved upwardly into contact with the block of ice to lift the block slightly and to give it a forward impulse starting it on its way down the rails'toward the discharge. If desired, the contact end of the bar 54 may be provided with a head 55 shaped in any desired manner to catch into the foremost block of ice or to spread the contact over a considerable area to insure against chipping of the block.

Where there is danger of persons attempting to remove ice from the machine without depositing coins, by inserting a hook or other instrument engage and tip the foremost block of ice over the dogs 29a, I may provide a cross bar 56 extendin between the front legs 3 and '7 at such height as will permit the passage of a block of ice therebetween, but which will engage the block of ice if the same is tipped over in an effort to roll it over the dog 29a. Thus it will be impossible for a person to remove a block of ice from the machine without rotating the wheel 26, and it can only be done by releasing the dog as a result of the deposit of a coin operating the magnet 35.

It will therefore be observed that I have provided a relatively simple and inexpensive method of vending ice in which a large quantity of blocks of ice may be stored ready for dispensing, and in which the ice is fed from the machine entirely by gravity, the coin actuated mechanism operating only to permit the release of a stop device, such as the wheel 26 and its associated dogs, while the stop device is actuated by the gravity effect of the ice in the machine as soon as the on said pathway, a plurality of dogs spaced about the periphery of said wheel by distances commensurate to the length of one of said parcels on said pathway, holding means comprising a lever engageable with said wheel to prevent rotation thereof, meansv operable at will for moving said lever out of engagement with said wheel to permit the foremost parcel to rotate said wheel to release said parcel and to present the next adjacent dog into the path of the succeeding parcel, a bar on said lever normally out of the path of parcels on said trackway but projectable against parcels on said trackway when said lever is operated to release said wheel to positively impel parcels toward said discharge.

- HERBERT N. ROYDEN. 

